Arlekinada (Harlequin's Millions) (arr. for wind ensemble)

JOHANN SCHRAMMEL

Wien bleibt Wien

The octet music on Around the Christmas Tree related to Christmas, New Year and midwinter is taken from handwritten sheet music for Swedish octets from the 1860s till the early 20th century.

The music takes you to midwinter outdoor and indoor activities and entertainments, from the Oscar ball on 1 December to Knut’s Day on 13 January.

Here is both well-known music that we usually associate with midwinter, Christmas and New Year, for example Waldteufel’s The Ice Skaters, Franz Schubert’s Military March No. 1 and excerpts from Die Fledermaus. The Octet Ehnstedts Eftr. has also found some old music that has fallen into oblivion but was well worth recording. Several numbers, including the title item Around the Christmas Tree and Berner’s Polonaise, have never been recorded before.